Our Parish History
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The Early Days ......
More than sixty years have passed since the establishment of the parish of Our Lady of Graces and St Martin de Porres. The Dominican friars and sisters, and the faithful people of Belmont, Carina and Carindale have come from humble beginnings ... from Mass in a tent (illegally erected!)…… to the modern, solemnly consecrated (and perfectly legal) church in which we now worship. Once the decision was made to proceed with the development of a Dominican Parish at Carina, there was an understandable enthusiasm for the establishment of the usual buildings associated with a Catholic Parish. The first official Parish Mass was celebrated in a large marquee on that very significant day in 1952. From then on there was a great commitment on the part of the founding parishioners to see that more permanent structures were in place as soon as humanly possible. |
1952 - Our place of worship for the first three months
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1953 - Father David Lewis and Father Lou Whelan supervising the construction of the first church. (The Dominic Centre)
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The area of land situated between Mayfield Road and Broadway Street at Carina, presently occupied by the Church and primary school buildings, had been acquired by Archbishop James Duhig for the future development of a Catholic Parish. The Archbishop was obviously a man of great vision, and the land was to become the focal point for a large and active parish.
The original marquee remained in place for the first three months of the life of the new parish. During this initial period, a group of volunteers worked energetically to erect a timber structure near a creek, which then ran through the property. That structure, known at the time as the Dominic Centre, was the first permanent Church occupied by Our Lady of Graces Church at Carina. It is worth noting that this structure had canvas sides, which would be rolled up as required. |
St Martin's Church & School ......
In 1954 a two storey brick building was erected facing Broadway Street and was occupied as both Church and School. Parishioners who were in the parish at the time tell how the lower floor was the school, but the upper storey doubled as a church at weekends and a school during the week. Each Friday evening there was a working bee to complete the transformation.
In 1954 a two storey brick building was erected facing Broadway Street and was occupied as both Church and School. Parishioners who were in the parish at the time tell how the lower floor was the school, but the upper storey doubled as a church at weekends and a school during the week. Each Friday evening there was a working bee to complete the transformation.
Our Lady of Graces Church & Priory Complex ......
The present Church and Priory complex was constructed in 1973 and solemnly Blessed and opened on Sunday 25 March 1973 by the most Rev Archbishop P.W. O'Donnell, DD. His Lordship Bishop E.J. Crawford, DD consecrated and dedicated the complex at 11.00am on 7 September 1975.
The cost of the complex at that time was three hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($350,000) and was designed by Architects A. Ian Ferrier, Campbell and Struthers and built by F.C. Upton & Sons.
The complex was very modern for the particular era and included a drive-in confessional situated in the wing housing the front entrance to the Priory. The Priory was designed to accommodate and house eight priests in self-contained bedrooms and also included a self-contained housekeepers' unit.
The Church proper was designed to hold a congregation of six hundred (600) worshippers.
The present Church and Priory complex was constructed in 1973 and solemnly Blessed and opened on Sunday 25 March 1973 by the most Rev Archbishop P.W. O'Donnell, DD. His Lordship Bishop E.J. Crawford, DD consecrated and dedicated the complex at 11.00am on 7 September 1975.
The cost of the complex at that time was three hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($350,000) and was designed by Architects A. Ian Ferrier, Campbell and Struthers and built by F.C. Upton & Sons.
The complex was very modern for the particular era and included a drive-in confessional situated in the wing housing the front entrance to the Priory. The Priory was designed to accommodate and house eight priests in self-contained bedrooms and also included a self-contained housekeepers' unit.
The Church proper was designed to hold a congregation of six hundred (600) worshippers.
